NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced Tuesday that he is issuing a lifetime ban to Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling on top of a $2.5 million fine following the league’s investigation into the racially insensitive comments made by the 80-year-old business magnate. In addition, Silver announced that he will urge the Sterling family to sell the Clippers franchise.

Here is Silver’s statement:

Shortly after the release of an audio recording this past Sunday morning of a conversation that allegedly included Clippers owner Donald Sterling, the NBA commenced an investigation which among other things included an interview of Mr. Sterling. That investigation is now complete. The central findings of the investigation are that the man whose voice is heard on the recording and on a second recording from the same conversation on Sunday is Mr. Sterling and that the hateful opinions voiced by that man are those of Mr. Sterling.

The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful. That they came from an NBA owner only heightens the damage and my personal outrage. Sentiments of this kind are contrary to the principles of inclusion and respect that form the foundation of our diverse, multi-cultural and multi-ethic league. I am personally distraught that the views expressed by Mr. Sterling came from within an institution that has historically had such a leadership role in matters of race relations and caused current players, coaches, fans and partners of the NBA to question their association with the league.

To them, and pioneers of the game like Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, “Sweet Water” Clifton, the great Bill Russell and particularly Magic Johnson, I apologize. Accordingly, effective immediately,

I am banning Mr. Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers organization or the NBA. Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices. He may not be present at any Clippers facility in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team. He will also be barred from attending NBA Board of Governors meetings or participating in any other league activity.

I am also fining Mr. Sterling $2.5 million dollar, the maximum amount allowed under the NBA constitution. These funds will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that will jointly be selected by the NBA and its players association.

As for Mr. Sterling’s ownership interest in the Clippers, I will urge the Board of Governors to exercise its authority to force a sale of the team and will do everything in my power to ensure that that happens. This has been a painful moment for all members of the NBA family.

I appreciate the support and understanding of our players during this process and I am particularly grateful for the leadership shown by coach Doc Rivers, union President Chris Paul and Mayor Kevin Johnson of Sacramento, who has been acting as the players’ representative in this matter. We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling’s views. They simply have no place in the NBA.

The suspension and fine act under Paragraph 24(1) of the NBA constitution that states that the commissioner can suspend an owner indefinitely and fine him up to $2.5 million for situations where owners’ conduct is not otherwise covered.

In order for the Board of Governors to force Sterling to sell the team, three-fourths of the owners will need to vote in favor of such movement under Paragraph 13 of the NBA constitution. Silver expects to receive full support from the rest of the owners. Sterling purchased the Clippers prior to the 1981-82 season.

Silver also made clear that the rest of the Sterling family is not part of the ban.

The suspension and fine follows heavy backlash against Sterling following the release of an audio tape where a man, allegedly Sterling, chastises Vanessa Stiviano over posting pictures of herself with black people to her Instagram account, most notably pointing to a photo with Magic Johnson. Many prominent figures around the country have spoken out against Sterling in the last couple of days.

“When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don’t really have to do anything, you just let them talk,” said President Barack Obama. “That’s what happened here.”

“As an owner, I’m obviously disgusted that a fellow team owner could hold such sickening and offensive views,” said NBA legend Michael Jordanin a statement. “As a former player, I’m completely outraged. There is no room in the NBA — or anywhere else — for the kind of racism and hatred that Mr. Sterling allegedly expressed.”

“He shouldn’t own a team anymore,” said Johnson on ABC’s NBA playoff pre-game show. “I had a friendship with him. So for him to then make these comments, or alleged comments, about myself as well as other African-Americans and minorities, there’s no place in our society for it. There’s no place in our league, because we all get along. We all play with different races of people when you’re in sports. That’s what makes sports so beautiful.”

Sterling’s own team has stepped up and protested against him. Before their game against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, the Clippers players removed their shooting shirts, revealing inside-out warmup gear and hiding the Los Angeles Clippers logo. Miami Heat players reproduced the Clippers’ silent protest in an act of solidarity, removing their team-branded shirts and wearing inside-out warmup shirts to hide their team logo.

“I don’t think anyone could foresee this coming,” Maxwell said. “I don’t think anybody could see this coming with any owner in the NBA. If you know that, if you knew that before you left here, you were a fool to leave. And I know Doc Rivers is not foolish.”

Maxwell noted that when he played for the Clippers, no mention was made of the owner’s rumored racism, citing the infancy of Sterling’s NBA tenure at that point. “Nobody was talking at that point,” the former Celtic said.

Maxwell said he believes action has to be taken in regards to Sterling’s involvement with the Clippers.

“Most people that I know, most players that I’ve talked to, most people of color and even most people not of color, they want him out of the game,” he said. “Even then he still owns the team. There will still be a stigma associated to it. Until he’s out of that arena, out of basketball, I don’t know about anything that will appease the general public.”

Maxwell did take issue with how the audio was attained, while making it clear the message was inexcusable. “I have a problem with (the taping) and I have a problem with what was said,” he said, adding, “He’s not the only owner who’s ever said anything about a black player. It’s just the fact that the curtain was pulled back because it was a taped conversation.”

The NBA has announced that it will hold a 2 p.m. press conference regarding the investigation involving Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Here is the official statement, which was attributed to league executive vice president of communications Mike Bass.

“The NBA will hold a press conference tomorrow [Tuesday] to make an announcement about its investigation involving Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Additional details will be announced.”

The press conference will be heard live on WEEI during the Dale & Holley show.

The Celtics dropped their second-to-last game of the 2013-14 season, falling to the lowly 76ers in Philadelphia by a 113-108 count. Though Chris Johnson appeared to hit a game-tying 3-pointer near the end of regulation, the forward was ruled to have stepped out of bounds for a turnover. The 76ers added a pair of free throws to create the game’s final margin.

The Celtics wrapped up the year with a 9-32 road record. All that remains between the Celtics and the end of the season is a home contest against Washington on Wednesday. The Celtics currently possess the fifth-worst record in the NBA; with one game remaining, they could finish with as “low” as the fourth-worst record and as “high” as the sixth-worst record.

The Celtics didn’t have Rajon Rondo, Jared Sullinger, Jerryd Bayless or Kris Humpries, yet their undermanned roster still managed to claim a comfortable 111-99 victory over the Cavs in Cleveland. The win snapped the Celtics‘ 13-game road losing streak.

Kelly Olynyk matched a career-high with 25 points and set a new career standard with 12 boards, while Avery Bradleylikewise poured in 25 and Phil Pressey distributed 13 assists. For a complete recap of the game, click here.

Of course, the victory — the Celtics’ second straight — wasn’t necessarily the ideal outcome for a franchise in a pitched battle for ping-pong balls in the NBA draft lottery. The Celtics are now 25-55, the fifth-worst record in the NBA, with their victory having pushed them behind Utah (24-55 as of the end of the game in Cleveland) and neck-and-neck with the Lakers (25-54). A team that looked earlier in the week like it might be spiraling towards the third-highest number of ping-pong balls in the lottery for the top three picks is instead now in danger of falling to sixth, with an outside chance (if the Celtics win out and Kings lose out) of matching the Kings for the sixth-worst record (rather than claiming it outright).

The Celtics continued their losing ways, dropping their ninth straight game, losing to the Hawks, 105-97, Wednesday night in Atlanta.

The defeat was also the Celts’ 13th straight road loss, tying a franchise record originally set in 1979. The C’s only two road wins over their last 15 games away from TD Garden came against the NBA’s two worst teams, Philadelphia and Milwaukee.

The Celtics are now tied with Orlando for the third-worst record in the NBA, standing at 23-55. They have four games remaining, playing the Bobcats and Wizards at home, with road games against Cleveland and the Sixers.

Milwaukee owns the NBA’s worst mark at 14-63, while Philly stands at 17-61. Utah (24-54) and the Lakers (25-53) are right behind Boston and Orlando.

Rajon Rondo played 40 minutes in the Celtics’ loss, scoring 19 points to go with 12 assists. Avery Bradley led the C’s with 24 points.

Doing in the Celtics against the Hawks — who are clinging to the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference — was a fourth quarter in which the C’s were outscored 35-20.